Power lift clutch mechanism



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INVENTOR J5me 1936 :1. SCHAEFFER POWER LIFT CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed Nov.s, 1933 l WI T/VESS.

Patented Jan. 28, 1936 STATES ATENT OFFICE POWER LIFT CLUTCH MECHANISMApplication November 3, 1933, Serial No. 696,524

2 Claims.

My invention relates in general to power lift clutch mechanisms of theintermittently operated half revolution type, such as are commonly usedon seeders, cultivators, plows and other agricultural implements, forraising the soil engaging tool out of operating position intoinoperative or transport position. Clutches of this type usuallycomprise a constantly rotating drum member having internal corrugations,and an intermittently operated plate member rotatably mountedconcentrically with respect to the drum member. The plate member carriesan eccentrically pivoted clutch arm, the free end of which carries aroller adapted to engage the corrugations in the drum member to causethe plate member to be rotated with the drum member. A throw-out leverengages the clutch arm when the clutch plate member has been rotated ahalf revolution. A lifting link is pivoted to the plate membereccentrically thereof, to be reciprocated by the rotation of the platemember. The tools to be lifted are suitably connected to the oppositeend of the lifting link.

My invention relates particularly to that type of clutch which isdesigned to be mounted between two spaced bearings. In such clutches,the lifting link has been pivoted to a pin on a crank arm fixed to atrunnion of the plate member on the outer side of one of the bearings,and the clutch armhas been pivoted on a separate pin on the plate memberdisposed between the two bearings.

The object of my invention is to provide a power lift clutch mechanismin which the clutch arm and the lifting link thereof are mounted on theopposite ends of a common pivot pin supported in the plate member. Iaccomplish this object by making a trunnion of the plate member and thebearing in which it is journaled of sufficiently large diameter that acommon pivot pin may be supported in the trunnion in a positionsufi'iciently removed from the axis of the trunnion to properly disposethe inner end of the pin to receive the clutch arm and the outer end toreceive the lifting link.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is described in the followingspecification in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of the implement framewith my improved power lift mechanism mounted thereon:

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the power lift mechanism taken on theplane of the line 2--2 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2.

The power lift clutch mechanism comprises a constantly rotating drummember 1 and an intermittently operated plate member 8. Member 8comprises a disk 9 having axially aligned trunnions l I and i2 extendinglaterally from opposite sides thereof and journaled in bearings l3 andI4 secured to spaced parallel frame bars IS. The drum member 1 includesthe usual drum having a rim H and a web or disk l8 formed integraltherewith between the ends thereof. A hub I9 is formed at the center ofweb l8 and is journaled on trunnion H to provide a support for clutchmember I. A plurality of internal corrugations 2| are formed on theinner periphery of rim IT at one side of web l8 and a drive sprocket 22is cast integrally with rim I! at the opposite side thereof. A drivechain 23 engages sprocket 22 to drive drum member 1. Chain 23 may bedriven by a supporting wheel of the implement, not shown, tocontinuously rotate drum member 1 as the machine is drawn along thefield.

Plate 8 may be intermittently rotated a half revolution, when desired,by means of a power transmitting mechanism between the two clutchmembers comprising a roller 25 journaled upon a pin 25o mounted on aclutch arm 26. Clutch arm 26 is pivotally mounted, intermediate itsends, on the inner end of a pivot pin 21 which is provided in plate 8eccentrically of the axis thereof. Pin 25a is additionally supported bya strap 26a having a perforation at each end and disposed over pin 25aand over pin 2']. The ends of arm 26 extend outwardly beyond theperiphery of plate 8 and are disposed adjacent opposed U-shaped notches28 formed on the periphery of plate 8. The roller 25 is normally heldout of engagement with notches 2i by a roller 31 mounted on the end ofan operator controlled lever 32 engaging in one or the other of notches28 and bearing against arm 26. When lever 32 is actuated roller 3| ismoved out of notch 28 and arm 26 is swung about pivot 21 by means of aspring 33, one end of which is hooked into an eye 34 formed on platemember 8. The opposite end of spring 33 is connected to arm 26. When arm26 is swung upon pivot 2! in this manner, roller 25 is brought intoengagement with one of the corrugations 2|, thereby locking plate member8 to the continuously rotating member 1 to be rotated therewith. Whenplate member 8 has been rotated a half revolution, roller 3! on lever 32rides into the other notch 28, being urged therein under the action ofspring 'connected between lever 32 and the adjacent frame bar 55. At thesame time, roller 3! contacts the opposite end of arm 26 forcing it backto its normal position. Roller 25 is thereby moved out of engagementwith the corrugation 2|.

The trunnion I2 of plate member 8 and likewise bearing l4 in which it isjournaled are of sufficiently large diameter to permit pivot pin '21 toextend through trunnion 12' and project laterally therefrom on the outerside of the bearing 14, and thereby serve as the pivotal support for thelifting link M. Lifting link 4! is suitably connected to the soilengaging tools of the implement, through the agency of which the toolsare raised and lowered by the operation of the clutch mechanism. Pin 27is held in position by means of cotter pins 43 and 44 disposed intransverse holes in the ends of the pin.

This construction has a minimum number of parts and is readily assembledand is therefore very economical to manufacture. The provision of therelatively large bearing trunnion in addition to 'making'possible theuse of a single pivot pin for the clutch arm and the lifting link, alsoincreases the life of the clutch in providing a greater bearing area forthe trunnion of the clutch upon which the greater portion vof the loadis imposed.

What I claim as my invention is;-

1. In a power lift mechanism comprising a con tinuously rotating drummember, an intermit tently rotatable plate member journaledconcentrically with said drum member, means for causing said platemember to be rotated with said drum including a clutch arm, a trunnionon said rotatable plate, a bearing for said trunnion, a pivot pinsupported in said plate member eccen: trio to the axis of said trunnion,one end of said pin projecting inwardly from said plate and thecentrically with said drum member, and means 20 for causing said platemember to be rotated with said drum, a relatively large cylindricaltrunnion formed on said rotatable plate and extending axially thereof, abearing in which said trunnion is jo-urnaled, a pivot pin supported onsaid trunnion and disposed eccentrically to the axis thereof, said pinprojecting outwardly beyond the outer side of said bearing, and alifting link pivoted on said outwardly projecting end of said pin.

JOHN SCHAEFFER. so

